Omicron and Vaccine Boosters

"An 80 percent of epitopes in the spike protein recognized by CDS+ T-cells are not affected by the mutations in the omicron variant; two doses may still induce protection against severe disease."

Pfizer-BioNtech statement

"Our preliminary, first data set indicate that a third dose could still offer a sufficient level of protection from disease of any severity caused by the Omnicron variant."

"Broad vaccination and booster campaigns around the world could help us to beter protect people everywhere and to get through the winter season."

Dr.Ugur Sahin, CEO, BioNTech

The booster is said to improve the level of neutralizing antibodies  Reuters

 

With this assurance emanating from the two pharmaceutical producers whose mRNA vaccine has become the most trusted in the world, that their vaccine formula against contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19 can be relied upon to continue offering vital protection against severe illness and death, a huge sigh of relief must surely have emanated from government sources and medical scientists the world over.

They said it, and their reputation rests upon their assurance that three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine are seen to be effective against the Omnicron variant, the mutated strain with the most mutations of any that has yet been examined, the cause of global consternation and trepidation for what it might possibly lead to. That it is more virulently transmissible appears to be a given on the evidence, but that it leads to more serious health consequences and is able to evade the vaccines' protective assurances is only now beginning to play out in real time.

From the announcement by the two companies it would seem that boosted individuals boast the same level of protection against the new variant comparable to that of people with two doses had acquired against the original coronavirus. There has been a worldwide rush conducting neutralizing studies by scientists to gauge how pre-existing immunity from both vaccination and prior infection plays out, to determine whether Omicron would be able to sidestep those defences.

 

The variant's emergence in South Africa, identified with a daunting constellation of mutations warned scientists that it could be more infectious and more effective at avoiding the protection offered by vaccines.  Experiments have now produced early results which show the number of antibodies required to halt the replication of the virus in a test tube; an early indication how effective the new variant is in avoiding antibodies.

 

Pfizer's press release announced that two doses of its vaccine performed 25 times poorer for Omnicron in comparison with the original versions of the virus. Despite which, only real life, long-term data is capable of providing information on a direct reduction in vaccine effectiveness. Leading scientists to the conclusion that precise, reliable information can be expected to emerge within the next several weeks.

 

Pfizer-BioNTech stands by its conclusion indicating "two doses of (the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine) may not be enough to protect against infections with the Omicron variant". At the same time, the company feels other aspects of the immune response activated by the vaccine as for example T-cells, are likely to be unaffected by the new variant, and still able to protect against severe disease. 

It was found by researchers examining people who had received three doses of the mRNA vaccine -- double-jabbed with a booster -- that the antibody effectiveness improved 25-fold, returning to approximately the same effectiveness level as two jabs for the original, wild-type virus.

 

Pfizer stands by its result indicating "two doses of (Pfizer)avirus.